


Lingering Trauma and Panic Attacks

by MelanieSkye



Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Robin (Comics)
Genre: Gen, Panic Attack, Recovery, Stephanie and Dick bond, Stephanie and Dick discuss the elephant in the room, drills, it's a bit fluffy, references to Black Mask, references to past character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2021-02-16 04:36:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21501991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelanieSkye/pseuds/MelanieSkye
Summary: Stephanie still has scars. Both physical and mental. Some sounds trigger panic attacks and likely always will. The one time she has a panic attack on patrol--the one time--of course Dick was the one O sent to check on her. Who else would it be?
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Stephanie Brown, No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 65





	Lingering Trauma and Panic Attacks

**Author's Note:**

> After reading Stephanie's Batgirl run, it bothered me that Stephanie and Dick never really spoke except when Dick was being an ass to her. This one-shot came from that. :) I wanted Stephanie and Dick to have the bonding moment the comics didn't give us.
> 
> Also, this is a working title because I'm struggling with a title for this one.

Stephanie sat on the edge of a building staring out into the dark Gotham night sky. Her hands trembled, and her stomach rocked angrily like a seasick sailor. Every hair on her head felt like it was on fire as she slowly rocked. Today’s patrol had been...embarrassing.

\---

Stephanie grinned and leapt over an enemy as they tried to grab her. “You have to try harder than that.”

The sound of a drill rang through the air, and Stephanie’s eyes widened. Her body ached, scars long since healed throbbed. Her vision went black, only the noise echoed through her head. She crashed to the ground, landed hard on her back, and knocking her head onto the concrete street. Stephanie hugged herself, putting her head in her knees and hands over her ears as she trembled.

A hand touched her shoulder, and she flinched away, tried to get away.

“Stephanie?” She heard someone say her name, but it sounded like it came from the end of a long tunnel, masked by the sounds of the drill that wracked her brain.

“Stephanie, it’s okay.”

Stephanie managed to peel her eyes open and looked up to see a familiar face in a blue domino mask. She jolted, pulling away from his hand. And ran.

She could hear his voice as she ran. But she didn’t stop, didn’t look back.

\---

Stephanie rubbed her eyes; she wanted to run, scream, cry, and laugh all at the same time. Instead, she just sighed. All of this time trying to convince everyone she was fine, that she was recovered was out the window. And of course, _Dick_ saw her.

Good job trying to convince him you’re mature, Stephanie. Now you’re back at square one. They probably won’t let you go on patrol by yourself now. Great.

There was a thud a few feet behind her and kept her focus straight ahead. Maybe if she didn’t give him attention, he would go away. He sat down next to her. Well, that theory was proved wrong.

“You’re shaking.”

“Adrenaline.” She answered, but her voice came out barely above a whisper, and it didn’t even convince herself.

“Oracle heard you hit the ground, and when you didn’t respond, she was worried.”

“Well, as you can see, I’m fine.” Stephanie’s voice broke, and she blinked to push back the tears threatening to fall.

“I see. Do you mind if I stay here anyways?”

“You don’t even like me.” The words fell out of her mouth before she could process what she was saying. “You’re only here because Cass is out of town.”

Dick fell silent for several moments before saying, “Do you really think that?”

Stephanie continued to stare ahead, wishing she could be anywhere else, preferably beating up on some of Gotham’s many goons. Or hitting anything. Anywhere but here, having this conversation where she wasn’t sure if she was going to cry or scream. She looked at the surrounding buildings and rooftops for a possible escape route. Maybe he wouldn’t follow her.

Fat chance.

Dick sighed. “I do, you know.”

Stephanie shot a glance at him. “You do, what?”

“Like you.”

Stephanie couldn’t stop herself from snorting.

He sighed again. “I’m not lying.”

“Well, you certainly have an odd way of showing it.” Stephanie stared up at the sky. “I know you think I’m incompetent.”

“I was worried about you.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“I know.”

Stephanie paused at that. She was certain that he had never said that before. _Bruce_ put more faith in her as Batgirl than Dick ever did. And that’s saying something because Bruce likely still thinks she’s incompetent.

“You died, Stephanie.” Dick ran a hand through his hair. “You died, and there was nothing we could do.”

“Dick--”

“It was Jason all over again. I had to go to a funeral for another Robin. We know now that you didn’t actually die, but you still came back changed.”

“Dick, I’m fine.”

Dick continued to ignore her. “And then you put on the Batgirl suit. You have less training than the rest of us, less skill.”

Stephanie rolled her eyes at that.

“So I worried. O was mad at me for what it’s worth.”

She couldn’t help but smile at that.

“And then...this. I ran to your location. We weren’t sure what had happened, and I was the closest.”

“I get panic attacks sometimes. Drills still freak me out. Probably will forever with my luck.” Stephanie shrugged. “I’m sure a psychiatrist would diagnose me with something. Might even have a field day.”

The corners of Dick’s lips quirked. “With all of us, probably.”

“We’re all fucked up.”

“Stephanie, why didn’t you tell us about the panic attacks?”

“Would you tell us if you had panic attacks?” Stephanie took his silence as answer enough. “Anyways, they’re not as common anymore.”

Even with the domino mask, Stephanie could see his concern. “Are you feeling any better?”

Stephanie shrugged. “Mostly. Tends to take a bit to get back to normal.”

“Would waffles help?”

Stephanie’s eyes lit up. “Waffles help with anything. Always.”

Dick grinned. “Where do you want to go?”

“I know just the place.” 


End file.
